Grand Canyon: Off-Road Sunset Safari & Gate Detour Tour

Summary

Sunset off-road adventure at Grand Canyon’s secret viewpoints

You’ll ride off-road through pine forests with a local guide, skip south entrance lines into Grand Canyon, spot elk or rare birds if luck’s on your side, and watch sunset paint Grandview Point with colors you can’t quite name. Includes pickup from Tusayan and bottled water — bring a jacket for those last golden minutes.

What’s the experience like?

We bounced along a dusty track just outside Tusayan, the kind of road I’d never have found alone (or braved in my rental). Our guide, Mark, grinned in the rearview mirror and pointed out elk tracks pressed into the soft red dirt — he said they show up most evenings if you’re lucky. I could smell pine sap on the breeze through the open window, and every so often someone would call out when they spotted a deer or those blue-black birds (Mark called them Steller’s jays). The main keyword here is Grand Canyon sunset tour, but honestly it felt more like sneaking into nature’s back door than any “tour” I’ve done before.

We skipped the long line at the south entrance — apparently this company’s had special forest permits for ages — and suddenly we were rolling past trees straight to Pipe Creek Vista. The canyon just opened up beneath us. It’s hard to describe that first view; it wasn’t quiet exactly, more like everyone went silent at once. My friend tried to take a panorama but her hands shook from excitement or maybe just the chill (it gets cold quick up there). Mark told stories about mule trails and Native history while we sipped bottled water and watched shadows crawl across the rocks. I didn’t expect to care so much about geology until he started talking about layers older than dinosaurs. Wild.

The last stop was Grandview Point for sunset. There was this hush as the sun hit the rim — even the kids stopped fidgeting. Colors kept shifting: orange, then purple, then something between gold and gray I don’t have a name for. Someone nearby whispered that Phantom Ranch was down there by the river, which felt impossibly far away. We lingered longer than planned because nobody really wanted to leave yet. I still think about that light sometimes when I close my eyes at night.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Grand Canyon Off-Road Sunset Safari

• Pick up in Tusayan
• Detour at south entrance gate
• Off-road excursion viewing wildlife
• Visit Pipe Creek Viewpoint
• See vistas of Colorado River and Phantom Ranch
• Watch sunset at Grandview Point
• Drop off in Tusayan

Top questions

How long is the Grand Canyon sunset tour?

The tour lasts around 3 hours from pickup to drop-off.

Is pickup included from Tusayan hotels?

Yes, pickup and drop-off are included from a central location in Tusayan.

What wildlife might we see on this tour?

You might spot elk, deer, and rare bird species like Steller’s jays during the drive.

Does this tour include entrance fees to Grand Canyon?

The tour includes access via a special back-road permit; no extra entrance fee needed.

Are children or infants allowed on this safari?

Yes, infants and small children can join; prams or strollers are allowed and infant seats are available.

Where does the sunset viewing take place?

The group watches sunset at Grandview Point on the South Rim of Grand Canyon.

Is water provided during the trip?

Bottled water is included for all guests during the tour.

What time does this sunset safari depart?

The tour leaves about two hours before sunset each day.

What’s included

Your evening includes pickup and drop-off from central Tusayan, bottled water for everyone along the way, entry via exclusive forest permits that bypass south gate lines, plus stops at viewpoints like Pipe Creek Vista and Grandview Point before returning after sunset.